- Yankees pitcher Corey Kluber threw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.
- Kluber was on the Rangers last year, but only pitched one inning before his season was over.
- He overcame multiple arm and shoulder injuries to return to form this season.
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New York Yankees pitcher Corey Kluber threw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, and Rangers fans were forced to watch the one that got away make history at their expense.
-SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 20, 2021
The two-time Cy Young winner was part of the Rangers' 2020 squad but pitched just one inning in his debut on July 26 before having to leave the game with a season-ending shoulder injury.
"We expected some outings like that in our ballpark, unfortunately not against us," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said of Kluber's performance on Wednesday. "I'm not surprised by this guy's success. I've watched this guy go through his routine and the work he puts in."
Kluber was already coming off a fractured forearm in 2019 when he was with Cleveland and was traded to Texas in exchange for outfielder Delino DeShields and reliever Emmanuel Clase.
The Rangers then declined to pick up Kluber's option for 2021, making him a free agent at 34. The Yankees took a chance on the three-time All-Star, signing Kluber to a one-year, $11 million deal in January.
Kluber has overcome the injuries of his last two seasons so far in 2021, returning to form with a 2.86 ERA and 50 strikeouts across 50 innings pitched.
Kluber's comeback came to a climax on Monday against his former team on the very same mound he suffered the shoulder injury last year, as he struck out nine and walked just one across all nine innings to secure his fourth win of the season.
"It's all kind of emotions. It's excitement, obviously, but also relief because it's over," Kluber said after the game on YES Network. "This was a lot of fun. It was a well-played game on both sides -- we were able to scratch out a few runs there. And it was fun to be a part of."
Kluber recorded the Yankees' first no-hitter of the 21st century. The last came on July 18, 1999, when David Cone threw a perfect game against the Montreal Expos. It was also the team's first road no-hitter since July 12, 1951, when Allie Reynolds did it at Cleveland.
"I had butterflies in that ninth inning. I'm getting a little emotional now, even just getting to witness that was was really, really special," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "And to see his teammates and the excitement of everyone for Corey and just the excitement for themselves being a part of such a thing. What a performance."
The no-hitter was the sixth in MLB this season, as baseball has seen an unprecedented spree of historic pitching performances this season. The record for no-hitters in a single season is seven (1990, 1991, and 2012), and there are four months left for that record to be tied or broken in 2021.